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Editorial: Alliance may protect Washington from military cuts

Wed., March 18, 2015

With the U.S. military shifting its strategic focus toward the Pacific Theater, Washington’s position as the westernmost state in the Lower 48 seemingly would assure a secure future for its land, sea and air installations.

But state leaders have wisely taken nothing for granted, and Gov. Jay Inslee last year formed the Washington Military Alliance to provide a strong, unified response to possible efforts to downsize bases or ports.

In 2012, the state commissioned a comprehensive assessment of Washington’s six major bases, including Fairchild Air Force Base, that was the basis for the governor’s action.

Changes that could adversely affect Washington are real, possibly imminent.

The U.S. Army projects an 80,000-man reduction in its ranks by 2020, and 16,000 of that could come from Joint Base Lewis-McChord outside Tacoma. The cuts are the Army’s response to the 2011 budget sequestration agreement and a 2014 assessment of the nation’s future defensive strategy and necessary assets.

The Army estimates the potential economic impact would be about $1 billion. The state’s figure is twice that.

A decision could come before the end of the year.

During past rounds of Base Realignments and Closure, individual bases would be left to their own resources, and that of their communities, to make a case for their ongoing mission. Washington installations were largely bypassed.

The Military Alliance was formed to present a unified, coordinated response to further closure initiatives. Former Greater Spokane Incorporated President Rich Hadley is one of four members of the Alliance’s executive team, and says he was surprised by how unfamiliar base leaders were with the operations of other installations, caused in part by the regular rotation of commanders to other assignments.

Alliance leadership will hold its first meeting March 27. A $4.3 million U.S. Department of Defense grant, supplemented by $500,000 in state money, will fund further studies, including consideration of how the bases and Washington’s extensive network of defense contractors can transition to a smaller profile.

Retention of as much intellectual property as possible, and what retraining former defense workers might need, will also be addressed.

It may be that the state is preparing for an unlikely worst-case scenario. Defense hawks are in the ascendancy in Congress, as evidenced by the defense budget unveiled Tuesday in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Senate’s version is due out today.

Don’t look for the House proposal, with its assumption that Obamacare goes away, to get very far. Our lawmakers seem incapable of adopting a budget that acknowledges fiscal realities, appropriately responds to real security threats, and sets aside the pork barrel.

But Washington should be ready for anything. The Military Alliance has the task of identifying how the state can best do that. With almost $16 billion in economic activity in play, unity of effort is a good start.